RCG Blog To The Point

Blogging 101: A Basic Guide to Best Practices

Posted on November 15, 2013

If you’re like me, every so often you have to brainstorm a topic of discussion or write a blog post and all of a sudden you find yourself searching for inspiration. If you’re pressed for time or afraid of using a recycled idea, check out these quick tips to come up with a unique, yet useful, entry your audience will find appealing:

1.Pick a theme and stick with it.

Everyone knows the term “quality over quantity.” Blogging isn’t about how often you put your words out there, but how worthy those words are when you’re offering them. Do they offer advice or something to the readers that they didn’t know before? Most people read blogs because they’re interested in the theme or want to learn something. So write with a purpose – after you choose your topic, decide if anybody wants, needs or should learn about what your posting. If not, then you should probably reconsider.

2.Have a voice and use it too.

In my opinion, a piece of writing without a voice is like reading a boring, forced script. This isn’t a research paper – it’s a semi-opinionated piece that should adequately showcase your thoughts and reflections.

3.Get to the point already!

Nobody – and I mean nobody – wants to read a rambling piece of writing. Keep it short and sweet while effectively getting your point across. If you’re finding yourself with run-on sentences and multiple paragraphs, just edit your work down after you see yourself making the same point more than once.

4.Make a good (and lasting) impression.

If the title doesn’t draw in the reader’s attention right away, they’ll quickly glance over it and forget about you. Create a title that poses a question, offerings something to the reader (how-to guides, tips for a certain topic, etc.) or differentiates you from everyone else out there. Later, your audience will find themselves using your work as a reference and will make return visits. Finally, don’t forget to make your blog interactive – post photos, videos, a poll or social media updates from your account on your sidebar.

5.Share it far and wide.

What’s the point in writing something if nobody will read it? Shout your work from the rooftops and on all your social media channels. Just don’t forget to use key #hashtags that speak to the theme of your post. Bonus: getting feedback from your audience will help you learn what content is and is not relevant to them.

Soon after adapting these simple guidelines, you’ll see your credibility growing. What’s the best tips you’ve received to create unique yet valuable content?

Here’s a list of my top three favorite blogs (in no particular order) that flawlessly follow the above rules: